Compressor clamp for piston rings



June 16, 1942.l N. sEAHoLM COMPRESSOR CLAMP FOR PISTON RINGS Filed July 26, 1940 a m7 d, L 4. a 2 mmh n Ml ma, al H .LQ HJMH 4 H uws v I IW 4 2, l0 Il MI5 m l M M H l n lll /l 1 l l- -l W lll l l I. NU l H H i H m 5H. IM .Ff 1| wl 1+.. ll l. @L 63 .1, mf W w. I2 l 7l, 4. M T f a Il'mlfl 02M L@ 2M l d 9 z I7. 7 5 I "Il A|\ .J flfl 1,. .g t u. 2 l

Patented June l i942 tPATENT orrlce comanssoa CLAMP non rxs'roN mas Nils seauolm, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

application July zo, 1340, serial No. 347,633

3 Claims. 4(Cl. zii-86.4)

l which is simple and durable and which may be This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a compressor clamp for piston rings.

The invention proposes the construction of a compressor clamp which is characterized by a bas-e strip of flexible strong sheet material for engaging about a piston and over the piston rings thereof, and a top strip of flexible strong `material attached at one end on an area intermediate of the ends of said base strip and having its other end associated with a worm pinion in such a way that the Worm pinion may bev turned to cause the top strip to move relative thereto and to clamp the base strip over thepiston rings for pressing and holding them in position. i

Still further, it is proposed that the worm pinion be mounted on a bracketiwhich is mounted which consist of a base strip, a top strip having the parallel slots, and a spur pinion rotatively mounted and having its teeth engage the slots so vthat when the spur pinion is turned the base stripl will compress the piston rings.I

The defect of this prior construction resides in the fact that a spur pinion lacks suflicient frictionalresistance to maintain and hold the top strip in its compressing position, and on the other hand a worm pinion as proposed by this invention has so large a mechanical advantage that after the pressure has been applied it will not turn back and permit the base strip to become loose.

Still further the invention proposes a novel and simple arrangement for mounting the worm pinionin position. A bracket of a certain construction is fcontem'plated.

The invention has for a further modified object the teaching of an arrangement by which the top strip may be shifted relative to the base strip in such a Way that the compressor clamp will be adjustable to pistons of greatly different diameters. Heretofore it was possible to use the compressor clamps for pistons of approximately the same diameter, only.

Another object of the invention resides in the construction of a vcompressor clamp as mentioned manufactured and sold at a reasonablecost.

For further comprehension of the invention, an'd of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view -of a compressor clamp mounted on a piston, and constructed in accordance with this invention, a portion of the compressor clamp being broken away to disclose the piston rings.

Fig..2 is a. plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of Fig. l looking from the right hand side.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. A1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectionalview I taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a compressor' clampconstructed in accordance with a modification o f this invention.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 'I-1 of Fig. 6.

The compressor clamp for piston rings in accordance with this invention includes a base strip III of flexible strong sheet material for engaging about a piston, such as the piston II. This piston is provided with the usual piston rings Il. The basestrip I0 is adapted'to engage over the piston rings IIa for compressing them into their grooves, as hereinafter more fully explained.

A bracket I2 having a base wall Il!a is mounted on one end portion of the said base strip I0.

Morespecically, the base wall I2a of the bracket I2 rests against the outer face of the end portion of said base strip I0. It is flxedly held in position by sever-al rivets I3, or several fastening elements, engaged through these parts. The bracket I2 is also provided with a pairof parallel side walls I2b projecting at right angles to the parallel slots I6 extending in a row alonglits length. The free end I4 of top strip I4 passes through 51ers l1 fermes in the side wens izb of the bracket I2. The slots I'I are immediately adjacent the base wall I2, so that a portion of the strip I4 extends along the base wall 12 of the bracket I2.

A worm pinion I9 is rotatively mounted bel tween said side walls I2b, one side `of this pinion engages against the strip Il. The threads of the pinion I9 at said side extend into the parallel slots I6. The pinion I9 is rotativelysupported at one end by a reduced end portion I9`B which is rotatively engaged through one of the side walls |21 of the bracket I2. The .other end of the pinion is rotatively supported by another reduced end I9aa which is rotatively engaged This reduced throughthe other side wall I2b. end i9aa vat its outer side is provided with a head change oi' position will vary the operative diam.

In other respects this form of the invention is identical to the previous form and identical parts have been indicated by the same reference numerels.

eter of the b'ase strip III so that the compressor clamp may be engaged upon pistons varying rad- 2Ii. The head 20 is formed with a slot v42I adapted to beengaged by a screw driver or other turnjing tool.

The base strip III is formed with a plurality of outwardly projecting portions II)b at spaced points along its bottom edge. These portions are adapted to engage over the top face of the engine block when the compressor clamp is used so as to prevent the base strip I of the clamp slipping into the bore in the block for the piston.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

The worm pinion I9 is turned so that the top strip Il moves towards the right, in relation to Fig. 4, this opens up the base strip I Il. The compressor clamp may now 'be engaged over the top of the piston II and over the piston rings IIa, while the pistonrings are loose and extended from the side walls of the piston. Then the worm pinion I9 may be turned to move the strip I4 to the "left, This contracts the base strip III are forced into the grooves in the piston I I. parts are then in the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

` In this condition the piston II may be placed into the bore the cylinder block. -Then with a mallet. or other suitable tool, the piston I I may be driven down, and the piston rings in their contracted position will be forcedinto the bore in the engine block. In this way' the piston is set in position.

The dominating feature of the invention resides in the fact that the Worm pinion I9 will maintain its position, holding the top strip I4 and the base strip III 'in their positions cornpressing the piston rings Ila. No foreign holding means is necessary. Frictional resistance of the teeth of the worm pinion engaging the slots I6 will be suiiicient. It is in this respect that the invention radically differs from prior constructions in which a pinion of the spurgear type was used in compressor clamps.` Pinions of this type havel the tendency of turning very easily and they cannot hold pressures as can th worm pinions.

'In Figs.- 6 and 7 a modied form of the inven-l tion has been disclosed which distinguishes from the priorv form in the fact that the compressor clamp is provided with a top strip I4 which is adjustably mounted on the basestrip III so-that it may be shifted longitudinally of the length Lof the base strip. More speciiically, severalstuds '22 are mounted on the base strip I0 and extend into elongated slots 23 formed longitudinally on the top strip Il'. 'Ihe studs 22 are provided with wing nuts'24 extending over edge portions of the `slots 23. The slots 23 are arranged above and Lilelioswsthe end portions of theinclined parallel icaliyindiameters.

While I have illustrated and described the preierred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the pre-A cise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined inthe appended claims. Y

Having thus described my invention, ywhat I vclaimA as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A compressor clamp for piston rings having a base strip of ilexlble strong sheet material for engaging about a piston over its piston ringsv and top strip ci' flexible strong material attached at one end to an intermediate portion of saidV base strip and formed with a plurality -of inclined parallel slots, a bracket having a base wall mounted on one end of said base` strip with horizontally spaced vertically extending side walls continuing from the ends oi said base wall, said bracket being formed with slots at the junction of its side walls and base wall through which the free end of said top strip extends, and a worm pinion rotatively supported between side walls and having one side meshing with certain of said slots, and means for holding the attached end of said top strip in various 'positions -along the length of said base strip, comprising clamp screws and nuts mounted on said base strip and engaging longitudinally extending slots formed in said top strip.

2. A compressor clamp for piston rings having a base strip of exible strong sheet material tor engaging about a piston over its piston rings and a top strip oi' ilexible strong material attached at one end to an intermediate portion of said base strip and formed with a plurality of inclined parallel slots, a bracket having a base wall mounted on one end of said base, strip with horizontally spaced vertically extending side walls continuing from the ends oi said base wall,

said bracket being formed with slots at the Junction of its side walls and base wall through which theA free end of said top strip extends, and a worm pinion rotatively supported Vbetween side walls and having one side meshing with certain of said slots, and means for holding the attached end oi said top strip in various positions along the length oi' said base strip, comprising clamp screws and nuts mounted on said base strip and engaging-longitudinally extending slots formed in said top strip, said longitudinally extending slots being extended along the edge portions -of said top strip adjacent the ends of said inclined parallel slots. I

3. A compressor clamp for piston rings having l clined parallel slots, a bracket having a base I wall mounted on one end of said base strip with horizontally spaced vertically extending side walls continuing from the ends of said base wall,

said bracket being formed with slots at the junction of its side walls and base wall through which the free end of said top strip extends, and a worm pinion rotatively supported between said side walls and having one side meshing with cer- 

